How Do I Flatten the Image of a Logo I Made in Illustrator?

By Todd Bowerman

Adobe’s Illustrator graphic design software uses a workspace organized into layers to assist you in keeping your work organized and attractive. Splitting your logo into layers gives you greater control over individual elements. However, not all printing processes or import formats support layers, so it may sometimes be necessary to flatten the image of your logo via the export process.

Step 1

Click “File,” and then select “Print.” Everything visible in the active Illustrator workspace will be included in the final image.

Step 2

Click the “Advanced” tab, and then click “Custom” to open the flattener menu.

Step 3

Adjust the flattener settings. The slider controls the raster/vector balance, and you can choose resolutions for line art, text, gradients and meshes. Use the flattener preview window to see the final printed logo, and tweak each setting until you achieve the desired output. Click “OK.”

Step 4

Step 5

Tips

You can also quickly flatten images by exporting them to simple formats. Click “File,” select “Export,” and then choose the BMP, JPEG, PNG, TGA or TIF format to create a flattened image file you can easily email or share.

It is not necessary to flatten images that have no transparent elements.

Warning

Information in this article applies to Adobe Illustrator CS6. It may vary slightly or significantly with other versions or products.